Charlotte’s Pregnancy?!

Meanwhile, a similar conversation was taking place in the royal palace of the Polia Kingdom.

“Was it called Beto? They are biological weapons, so are they really all right?”

The Queen held a newspaper in her hand, and that newspaper showed soldiers together with Beto. At that sight, Ian nodded as if it was naturally fine and spoke.

“They are fine. They will never attack allies under any circumstances, so be at ease.”

“It is fascinating. Soldiers moving together with biological weapons like this.”

“In the future, more varied forms of biological weapons may be used. But large numbers would be difficult. The number that can be controlled is limited, after all.”

“Ah, I see?”

“That thing called Beto is also being used partly for propaganda and to shake the hearts of those Dairam people. To be honest, for now, our army’s strength can be said to be far greater than theirs.”

Even if around a hundred Beto had been deployed to the battlefield, there were ultimately bound to be limits. If they truly committed themselves, they should have had enough strength to win. But looking at how things were going now, it was clear that even just around a hundred Beto were enough to shake them.

‘The enemy’s main force is collapsing faster than expected.’

That was probably because they did not have many proper commanders, but on the other hand, it could also be said that our army’s capabilities had grown even greater. Their resistance would continue to be fierce. But in the end, they would continue to suffer attacks to the point where they would have no choice but to surrender.

“This is all your achievement, my Queen.”

“Why is it my achievement?”

“Would this not have been impossible if you had not come to me?”

“Is that how it works? Hoho.”

“Thinking about it now, I truly feel fortunate that you came to me.”

If she had not come? He probably would have learned the truth about the White Crystal somewhat later. And perhaps he might never have obtained it and absorbed it himself. If that had happened, development far faster than now would not have been possible.

To begin with, the technological gains obtained through the ruins were far too great. They had acquired many technologies, and based on them, this country had almost caught up to the technological level of the empires. On top of that, through those things, it was still developing constantly even now.

“If you put it that way, is there no reward?”

“A reward, you say? If there is something you want, tell me. I will obtain it somehow.”

“Not that kind of reward. There is also this kind, you know.”

Seeing her gently push out her lips and tap them with her hand, Ian finally realized that Adrina was teasing him. At that sight, he thought that perhaps the greatest gain of all had been being able to love her. Smack, he kissed her on the lips, then smiled and spoke.

“This reward, I do not want to end it with just this. I would like to give you more.”

“It is daytime right now, so restrain yourself. I will see you tonight. Huhut.”

“Ahem, let us do that.”

He thought that he was truly looking forward to tonight as well. Just as he thought that, Adrina brought up another issue. But her expression was slightly awkward?

“Ah, and about Princess Charlotte. She became an adult this year, did she not?”

“That is right. She is 18 now, so is she not an adult?”

“I have not told Your Majesty yet, but she says she wants to get married sooner.”

“Sooner, you say?”

“She says she wants to hurry before it gets any later.”

“Mm? Why is she in such a hurry? Is there any reason she must rush?”

“It seems that circumstances that warrant it have arisen.”

At Adrina’s words, Ian felt a strange sensation, as if he somehow knew what it was. What reason could there be to hurry a marriage? When he thought about that fact, only one conclusion came out. In that instant, he could not help but think, Surely not?

“Surely, it is not that, is it?”

“That, surely, seems to be correct. It seems Princess Charlotte is pregnant. This is something we should congratulate, right?”

“…..That damned Armin brat-!”

Harsh words about Armin came out of him on their own. He had finally caused an incident. Of course, since the year had changed and several months had passed, Charlotte had clearly become an adult, but he had still caused an incident before even holding the wedding. At this absurd situation, Ian’s heart flared like fire.

‘That thief has finally caused an incident!’

Ian immediately ordered someone to bring Armin in. He intended to bring him in at once and educate him properly. The moment he acted with that intent, Armin was brought before him in less than two hours. But he was not alone. There were two of them, and he could see his younger sister Charlotte, who was practically clinging to him.

“How did you know and come together with him?”

“We were together…”

“A-Ah, greetings, Your Majesty. It has been a while. Ahaha.”

“I am not particularly well. Armin, seeing how you can even laugh, it seems you are in a very good mood?”

Receiving my slanted gaze and words, Armin looked extremely uneasy. But more than that, seeing the two of them holding hands tightly somehow made me feel as if I had become the villain. Was that just my imagination? The moment I thought that, Charlotte spoke to me as if pleading.

“O-Older Brother, please calm yourself. I am the one who did everything wrong. Armin Oppa did nothing wrong.”

“Charlotte, are you already taking his side?”

“That is not it. I was the one who actually, attacked him more.”

“What? Ahem, w-what are you saying!”

“Oh my.”

Ian was flustered, and Queen Adrina covered her mouth, reacting as if she had heard this part for the first time. Amid all this, Armin was stopping Charlotte while his face was completely red. So Armin had stayed still, and his younger sister Charlotte had, attacked him more. Was that what she was saying?

‘Good grief, this is driving me crazy. If you say it like that, how am I supposed to scold Armin?’

If anything, he was now in a position where he had to comfort him for having been attacked(?). Meanwhile, he thought that time truly changed many things. She had been such an innocent younger sister who knew nothing, but now she had become a grown woman.

“Armin, you…”

“Yes, Your Majesty…”

“Enough. What would I even say to you? Sigh.”

“I am sorry, Your Majesty. This was something where I should have behaved properly.”

“I said enough, did I not? Do not say any more than this.”

If he said any more, it would be embarrassing for me as well, and Armin would probably feel miserable(?). Meanwhile, Ian turned his gaze toward Charlotte and spoke with a serious heart.

“Do you truly have no regrets about your choice? Would living as a princess in happiness not be enough?”

“Before being a happy princess, I am also one woman who wants to live happily. I truly like how things are now.”

“….If you say that, then I understand. Let us hurry and hold the wedding.”

“Really? Thank you!”

“Thank you! Your Majesty.”

Seeing Charlotte and Armin express their gratitude, he thought that they really did suit each other after all. At the same time, he soon felt a strange feeling. His younger sister, who had been so little, had lived for 19 years and was now standing before him while pregnant.

‘I had vowed to protect her and let her live a happy life. She really is happy, right?’

In a way, the resolution that led him to ascend to the throne had begun because of his younger sister. That younger sister was getting married. If the other party had been some bastard who had suddenly appeared, someone he did not know at all, he might never have approved or forgiven it.

‘Armin, I do think it is fortunate that it is him.’

When he glanced toward Armin, he saw him looking at him and smiling awkwardly. Seeing that foolish look, Ian nearly felt like criticizing him for no reason, but soon thought that this man would become his brother-in-law in the future, so he should not treat him carelessly from now on.

“Then, I will see my niece or nephew next year?”

“That is how it will be. I hope the child grows up together with Karina and gets along well with her.”

“That will happen. More importantly, does Mother know as well?”

“Yes. She knows.”

“Goodness, just like before, are you not excluding only me too much? I always end up finding out late.”

Even when the two of them had started dating, everyone had known, but he alone had not. Of course, there had been circumstances that made it unavoidable for them, but even so, he could not help feeling disappointed. Perhaps sensing this, Charlotte looked apologetic and spoke.

“I am sorry. This will absolutely never happen again next time.”

“Is it not more accurate to say there will be no next time? There is nothing left to hide anymore.”

“That is true. Hehe.”

Seeing Charlotte laugh at the end as if that was true too, he thought that he could not win against her. In any case, for our family, this was good news. Now Charlotte had become pregnant as well, and when his niece or nephew was born, children would now appear beneath us together with Karina.

‘This must be how family gradually grows.’

He thought that someday, several decades later, perhaps a far larger family than now would be together.

And that evening. In the secret space located beside the office, Ian was sharing drinks with Armin. When he filled his glass, Armin received it with an extremely humble posture. Seeing that, Ian spoke as if telling him not to do that.

“Do not lower yourself so much. You will become a member of the royal family from now on too.”

“I suppose I am still not used to this sort of thing.”

“Still, after the marriage, I would prefer that you not lower your posture in front of others. A single action of yours could become a matter tied to the dignity of the royal family.”

“When you put it that way, it does feel a little burdensome. Still, I will try.”

That was what it meant to marry a princess. In truth, originally, powerful noble families with influence would have used all sorts of methods to marry a princess, but after he became king, such a situation no longer existed. Armin was lucky as well. If it had not been Ian, he would absolutely never have received approval for the marriage.

“Do not feel burdened. You just need to work hard at what you have been doing. And you know how your family should act, right?”

“Of course. They will absolutely not do anything that brings shame upon the name of the royal family.”

Since Armin already knew what Ian had done to his maternal family, he had already gathered his family, repeatedly urged them, and warned them never to flaunt the royal family’s name. At those words, everyone had seen how the king had acted until now, so he had heard them say that they understood.

“Yes, that is all you need to do. More importantly, how is the work you have been doing? Is it going well?”

“Yes, it is progressing well. In particular, in the case of the air-defense cruiser Your Majesty mentioned, newly developed anti-air guns exist, so development has progressed quickly, and now we are able to enter construction.”

“That is good.”

In the future, as fighters became faster and even the airframes became larger, they could become far more threatening existences. So in a situation where warships responsible for an air-defense network to defend beside aircraft carriers were certainly necessary, hearing that development had ended and construction could begin meant that things had gone well.

‘They said development on monoplanes had slowly begun now too, did they not?’

A fighter with only one wing, rather than a biplane with two layers of wings, was currently deep in development. In particular, this development was being carried out in cooperation with engineers from the Doicheun Empire, and since the technologies both sides possessed were being combined and development was continuing, it could be said to be showing quite remarkable results.

“Um, but about the biological weapons that appeared in the newspaper.”

“You mean those things called Beto?”

“Yes, those things called Beto. They are safe, right?”

It seemed Armin had also been surprised by what he had seen through the newspaper. From the fact that he was worried about their safety, Ian could tell that most people probably had similar feelings.

“Of course they are safe. Surely you do not think I would release something unsafe into the world.”

“That is a relief, then. I was thinking about how dangerous it would be if something like that were released in an uncontrolled state.”

“They will never be released from control, so do not worry unnecessarily.”

Ian thought that he was worrying over something pointless. Those creatures had become beings that could never break free before death now because of his Mental Manipulation. Come to think of it, he wondered inwardly how long their lifespans were.

There had not yet been a biological weapon that had survived until the end, so for now, their lifespans were still unknowable. Perhaps they would only find out ten years or several decades later.

“I am the type who worries a lot. I just thought it would be terrible if something like that ran wild around us while uncontrolled.”

“There is no way that would happen. From mass production onward, they are made with every process thoroughly controlled, so there is no chance they will be released. To begin with, unless someone separately creates them…?”

The moment he spoke, one assumption flashed through his mind. Originally, he had not thought of it at all, but as Armin spoke, one process was being drawn in his mind. It was only a hypothetical, but what would happen if a biological weapon like Beto, no, even one that merely looked similar, ran wild? That thought came to him.

‘On that day, skeptical feelings toward biological weapons would arise, would they not?’

It was only a hypothesis, but if not the Magnia Empire, then perhaps those secret organization bastards secretly created something like similar biological weapons and committed the insane act of releasing them into a city, then there was a chance it could put the brakes on the use of biological weapons.

‘Fear toward biological weapons would end up taking root in everyone’s hearts.’

The plan to instill fear in the Dairam people could instead, absurdly enough, become an incident that instilled fear on our side. It was a completely out-of-the-blue matter, but the possibility was not nonexistent. Come to think of it, he realized that those bastards had been far too quiet all this time.

‘They said recently that weapons had been secretly supplied to the Dairam people, and there were also opinions that it might have been the work of a secret organization. If those bastards have begun acting against us in earnest again?’

They could certainly secretly bring in something like biological weapons and make them run wild. If that happened, how should they stop it? In that instant, various methods came to Ian’s mind.

Meanwhile, Armin, seeing Ian fall into this worry, could only look puzzled, wondering if he had said something wrong.